Caribbean Interiors

Caribbean style houses incorporate elements of Bahamian, African, Creole and Victorian design. Local builders once brought this mishmash of architecture to life in the form of hulking frame houses and simple cigar makers' cottages. Caribbean style homes are uniquely adapted to life in the tropics, and seafarers often added handy items from ship design, such as crow's nests and the type of "roof hatches" used on board to facilitate ventilation. The most prominent elements of Caribbean design are solutions to the problem of how to keep cool – namely, by creating the maximum amount of shade and ventilation; courtyards, tall doors with small windows, vaulted ceilings and mamparas, or swing doors with decorative glass panels, all serve as distinguishing features in a Caribbean style home.